Bio-Diesel Fuel Essay Example for Free

Bio-Diesel Fuel Essay Biodiesel is an environmentally-friendly and low polluting fuel derived from waste or fresh vegetable oils (triglycerides) or animal oils (which is a renewable source of energy). It can be utilized alone or along with petroleum diesel fuel. However, by itself it does not contain any petroleum products. Biodiesel can be utilized in internal combustion, conventionally using diesel without many alterations in the engine design. The fuel is free from sulphur and harmful aromatic substances, and hence is comparable less toxic. It is 75% cleaner than conventional diesel in terms of pollutants produced during burning. It contains mono-akyl esters of long-chain fatty acids that are usually obtained from animal fats or vegetable oils. It has to meet the criteria laid down by the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM). One of the common formulas containing biodiesel is B20, which contains 20 percent biodiesel and the remaining 80 percent petroleum products. This mixture has proven to be environmentally friendly and has also significantly reduced the costs of fuel in terms of petroleum imports. It meets the criteria of the Energy Policy Act (EPA), 1992. B20 may cause a slight reduction in power, torque and fuel economy, but this does not cause an apparent problem. In the US, biodiesel utilized as a fuel or a fuel additive, has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the standards set by the California Air Resources Agency (CARB). Even 100% biodiesel (B100) has been recognized an alternative and environmentally friendly fuel by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Transportation in the US. Before the customer blends biodiesel with regular diesel, it should be ensured that the specifications laid down by the ASTM are met. These specifications make sure that the customer will not develop operational problems. The operations aspects and air quality will improve only if the specifications of the ASTM are being met (suggesting quality fuel). Biodiesel or its products should only be purchased from accredited manufacturers and certified suppliers. A biodiesel quality control program known as ‘BQ-9000’ has been initiated by the ASTM, which has laid down certain quality standards under ASTM-D-6751. The various procedures under the quality program include storage, sampling, testing, retailing, transportation, marketing, etc. It also ensures that improvements are made in the BQ-9000 system. In the US, legislation has been set up to improve the quality of air known as the ‘Clean Air Act’. So far, biodiesel has been the only alternative fuel that has met the health specifications laid down under this act. Biodiesel reduces the amount of un-burnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and emitted particles, when compared to burning petroleum diesel alone. Biodiesel helps to reduce acid rain and the other ill-effects of vehicular pollution by reducing the amount of sulphur oxide emission and sulphates. The un-burnt hydrocarbons can have a disastrous effect on the ozone layer. The US imports approximately 11 million barrels of crude petroleum every day. A quarter of this is converted into diesel which is utilized for vehicular, industrial and domestic purposes. If a small quantity of biodiesel is blended with petroleum diesel, the nation can significantly reduce its imports of petroleum. In 2004, the US used about 36 millions gallons in 2004 of biodiesel, which is expected to increase in future. Biodiesel is prepared by chemically vegetable and animal oils (such as soybean oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, other cooking oils, etc) with short-chain alcohol (such as ethanol and methanol), along with a catalyst. Biodiesel is produced along with glycerin. Other than a reduction in pollution levels, biodiesel also offers a huge range of other advantages. The fuel has a better lubricating property compared to normal pertroleum diesel and hence decreases engine wear and tear. Even a 1% biodiesel level in regular diesel can help lubricate the engine. This property of biodiesel helps to compensate for the low sulphur levels to be utilized in fuels by the year 2006. Low-sulphur fuels tend to be harsh on the engine, and biodiesel can help compensate for this. Biodiesel significantly lowers the pollutant emission levels. The extents to which the pollutants emitted are reduced depend on the blend levels. B100 reduces carbon dioxide emission by about 78% compared to normal petroleum. On the other hand, B5 lowers CO2 emission by about 3. 8%. Besides, the levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, aromatic substances, particulate matter and other toxic substances are reduced to levels depending on the blend. However, Nitrogen oxides are increased very slightly with biodiesel. B20 produces a 2 to 4 % increase in the levels of nitrogen oxides, whereas B5 produce an increase in nitrogen oxides which cannot be felt. However, very recent studies have shown that biodiesel use do not cause any problem with nitrogen oxide emission when used. Biodiesel of higher blends tend to destroy elastomers and rubber compounds over a long period. Hence, manufacturers are trying to reduce utilization of these substances in the vehicles. However, B20 and lower blends have no significant effect on elastomers and rubber substances present in the vehicles. Fuel systems that should be compatible with higher range blends need to change over to more compatible rubbers and elastomers. Biodiesel tends to dissolve paints as it is a good solvent. Hence, it is advised that surfaces be wiped whenever biodiesel is suspected to spill over. Biodiesel is a very combustible substance and tends to degrade over time. It produces heat as it degrades. Hence, necessary precautions need to be taken whenever it is stored. Biodiesel when purchased should be utilized within 3 months. The fuel should be stored in a clean, cool, dark and dry place, away from sunlight. Usually aluminum, steel, Teflon, fluorinated polyethylene or fluorinated polypropylene can be utilized to store biodiesel. Biodiesel has a good auto-ignition capability (similar to that of octane). Fuels having lower auto-ignition property tend to be very rough on the engine; produce higher amounts of engine deposits and are very difficult to start especially during winter or at places at higher altitudes. Biodiesel burns at a lower temperature and this can be less traumatic to the engine. Biodiesel can significantly cope with this problem, raising the cold weather properties. It is often utilized in states having cold climates without any significant problem. Petroleum diesel is known to produce a deposit at the bottom of fuel tanks, lines and delivery units, which slowly increase over time. Even utilizing biodiesel occasionally can help to dissolve these deposits. Thus the need to purchase new filters, servicing of the vehicles and the reduction in the engine life can be reduced by utilizing biodiesel and its blends. Biodiesel of the types B20 and below can be utilized in all types of engines including those having advanced fuel injections systems. Biodiesel is available in all the states in the US. More and more retailers are becoming aware of the advantages of biodiesel and are stocking the product. When production of biodiesel was initiated, it was slightly costlier than regular diesel. However, in October, 2004, the US President made an effort to lower the tax on biodiesel blends, thus lowering the cost of the product in the market. The EPA legislation also provides a lot of incentives for biodiesel users. The demand for biodiesel is slowly increasing, as people and manufactures are becoming aware of its beneficial effects. Besides, the Governments tax strategy and the legislations existing have enabled rapid growth of the biodiesel industry. Many car and truck manufacturers are suggesting the Use of B5 and B20 in its vehicles. In the light-vehicle sector, the sales will go up from 3. 2 % in 2004, to 10 % in 2015. The biodiesel industry is almost grown by three times within a year. In 2004, 25 millions gallons of biodiesel was produced, which rose to 75 million gallons by 2005. It is expected to grow further in 2006. Biodiesel is being known by several trade names and logos which would definitely attract customers. References: Biodiesel. Org (2007). Biodiesel Commonly Asked Questions. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from Biodiesel. Org Web site: http://www. biodiesel. org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/CommonlyAsked. PDF Biodiesel. Org (2007). Biodiesel Usage Checklist. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from Biodiesel. Org Web site: http://www. biodiesel. org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/bdusage. PDF BQ9000 (2007). BQ-9000 Quality Management Program. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from BQ9000 Web site: http://www. bq-9000. org/ Journey to Forever (1999). Biodiesel. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from Journey to Forever Web site: http://journeytoforever. org/biodiesel. html National Biodiesel Board (2007). Biodiesel Backgrounder. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from Biodiesel. Org Web site: http://www. biodiesel. org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/backgrounder. PDF US Department of Energy (2005). Clean Cities. Retrieved January, 21, 2007, from USDOE Web site: http://www. eere. energy. gov/cleancities/blends/pdfs/37136. pdf

Gawain :: Essays Papers

Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems. Gawain :: Essays Papers Gawain Passage Analysis An anonymous author around the fourteenth century wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The story is set in the time of King Arthur and deals with two major plot devices that are common in such tales: the beheading contest between Gawain and the green knight and the attempted seduction of Gawain by the lady. The passage contained in lines 928-993 occurs shortly after the lord of the castle invites Gawain into his home and offers him a meal. The section focuses on the introduction of the lady who will later try to tempt Sir Gawain to sin. The author describes her in such ravishing splendor that the reader can imagine how hard it would be to resist her advances. The hag by her side is also introduced here as a direct contrast to the lady. In this way, the lady's and the hag's respective physical characteristics are further enhanced by the presence of each other. Similar to other stories written in this period, the hag in this story has magical elements that are not revealed until much later. The lady of the castle comes to Gawain only after dinner and prayers are attended to by herself and her lord for she "Longed to look on the knight"(Norton, 222). Prior to her appearance, the lady has been secluded away in the church closet with her maids. From the very first words written about her, she is described as a very attractive person. The author goes on to describe her hair, face, and manner of dress, all of which only lend more brilliance to this vision. The passage is a testament to her comeliness and will later be important in the story since it sets the foundation for the obvious attraction Gawain feels towards this woman from whom "He claims a comely kiss, and courteously he speaks; / They welcome him warmly, and straightaway he asks / To be received as their servant, if they so desire"(222). The lady later admonishes Gawain the next morning when he fails to kiss her as a chivalrous knight should. The lady's appearance is only enhanced by the presence of the hag at her side. The magical element of the hag has also been introduced in such other literary works as "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" and in "The Wife of Bath's Tale" in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. In each of these stories, the hag turns out to be something other than what she seems.

Hubspot Case Question Essay

1. Analyze HubSpot’s Marketing Mix in the context of an overallMarketing Strategy 2. Do you agree with HubSpot that the â€Å"rules of marketing† have changed? If so, how? Is inbound marketingthe answer? Why or why not? 3. Is HubSpot finding and serving the right set of customers? Given its position as a start-up company,should it widen its focus to serve any customer that comes its way? Or narrow their target, by focusingexclusively on either Owner Ollies or Marketer Marys? Or by focusing exclusively on either B2B or B2Ccustomers? 4. HubSpot has begun to differentiate its products as it has learned more about its customers. Should it domore? Should its pricing strategy change too? Does the software-as-a-service (SaaS) pricing model workfor both Marketer Marys and Owner Ollies? Should HubSpot try to immediately capture more value for either of these customers? 5. Are Halligan and Shah being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? Or should they continueto practice what they preach by focusing on inbound marketing alone? 6. Halligan and Shah want HubSpot to be to marketing, what salesforce.com is to sales. What would your plan of action be to make this happen? Why would you take these actions? What keeps you up at nightabout your plan? This case follows the growth of HubSpot, an entrepreneurial venture which faces significant challenges including:developing a market segmentation, deciding which customer to serve and which customers to turn away,configuring a pricing strategy which is aligned with the value being delivered to customers, and determiningwhether inbound marketing programs can generate enough scale to grow the business or whethertraditionaloutbound marketing methods need to be employed to accelerate growth. The HubSpot case focuses on issuesaround marketing channels, specifically inbound marketing and the use of Web 2.0 tools and applications suchas blogging, search engine optimization, and social media

Essay A Minimum Wage Increase Will Stimulate the Economy

President Franklin Roosevelt endorsed the federal minimum wage law in 1938 while the Great Depression was at its utmost insolvent position. Because at this point in time the economy was at its lowest, the sole purpose for its enactment was to keep the majority of Americans out of poverty and increase consumer demand. Following the 1960’s, the minimum wage has had a very gradual increase to the point where it is now at a standby. At this moment with a recession occurring, minimum wages have not brought any benefits to those working for such a limited pay. In fact, it has affected an amount of factors rather than actually keeping the overall population out of impoverishment. Although opponents claim a rise in minimum wages will affect†¦show more content†¦Although opponents claim higher pay will affect a number of factors, increasing the minimum wage will be ideal to lead economic activity to the right direction. The far most crucial concern for America today is t he economy’s downfall and its position at its recession peak. Ralph Nader, a consumer advocate, and the author for â€Å"America’s Miserly Minimum Wage Needs an Upgrade† argues how increasing the minimum wage can lead to better off results concerning the market activity. Nader presents two studies to prove how effective the results will be regarding a raise to those paid at the minimum wage rate. The Chicago Federal Reserve study â€Å"showed that for every dollar increase in the hourly pay... the result was $2,800 in every consumer spending from that worker’s household† that year in 2011, according to Nader. In other words, a rise in pay will allow an employee to spend a greater amount of money for any needs, which is then put into the economy. The second study by the Economic Policy Institute â€Å"indicated that a $10.50 hourly minimum wage . . . increase† would stimulate economic productivity to about $30 billion and put 140,000 job s over the course of two years (Nader). The numbers prove the effectiveness by showing an increased amount of money put into economic activity and its evidence of no negative outcome. Not only will a rise in pay stimulate the economy, but it will open an incredible amount ofShow MoreRelatedMinimum Wage Should Be Raised910 Words   |  4 Pagesmaximize the American Dream on the minimum wage† (Benjamin Todd Jealous). In 1938, minimum wage was created by the federal government in order to protect workers by ensuring a minimum of twenty-five cents per hour worked. Though President Roosevelt had the right idea in protecting the workforce, something needs to be done to ensure that Americans are getting a reasonable amount of money for the amount of hours they have worked. As Benjamin Todd Jealous stated, minimum wage is not enough for the averageRead MoreRaising Minimum Wage Will Benefit Our Economy1576 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many people who will debate whether-or-not ra ising minimum wage will benefit our economy. Money is what helps us survive and acquire our necessities of life. Most children are instilled with the thought that going to school, getting a good education, and obtaining a good job would guarantee success and happiness; although everyone does not have that privilege, and may end up with lower paying jobs. Almost anyone can get a job at a fast food restaurant, clothing store, or any general jobRead MoreThe Minimum Wage Change 1151 Words   |  5 PagesU.S economy is the topic of minimum wage. With president Obama’s increase in the minimum wage to 10.10$ per hour people, both economists and politicians alike, have been debating whether raising the bar is a smart idea. At a time when the country the country’s inflation continues to rise at a steady pace and Americans are constantly working to feed their families, some economists know that a raise in the minimum wage would help elevate some of the difficulty. The last tim e the federal minimum wageRead MoreMinimum Wage At The United States1129 Words   |  5 Pagesintended to raise the current minimum wage floor of $7.25 in the United States stalled in Congress. As the November election approaches, many Democratic senate members are placing the issue of minimum wage at the forefront of their election campaigns, hoping to sway working-class voters in their favor. The issue of minimum wage has become a matter of politics, politics which far overshadow the far more pertinent concern of minimum wage’s economic effects. Minimum wage is a complex issue, and understandingRead MoreA Full Time Worker Earn $ 5.15 An Hour1378 Words   |  6 PagesA full time worker earning $7.25 an hour will make approximately $15,080 a year (â€Å"Minimum Wage†). That’s barely more than what students pay for housing and food at some colleges, and we expect a family to live off of this? The poverty line is at $20,000 for a family of four, so how are these people supposed to raise their children in a healthy environment while working full-time to not even be on the poverty line? If this raise is done correctly, employment and prices won’t be hurt, and we will onlyRead MoreThe Case For A Higher Minimum Wage1659 Words   |  7 PagesHigher Minimum Wage In 1938, the Federal Government established a minimum wage through the Fair Labor Standards Act, during the Great Depression. Its stated purpose was to keep American workers out of poverty and increase consumer purchasing power to help stimulate the economy. President Franklin Roosevelt, understood that the minimum wage should be a living wage, he stated â€Å"by living wages, I mean more than a bare subsistence level — I mean the wages of a decent living.† Today, the Minimum wage is criticalRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Be Legal940 Words   |  4 PagesMinimum wage is now at a steady $7.25 per hour and shows no sign of increasing anytime soon. There are states right now at the time that are trying to raise the minimum wage, and see how this will effect the economy of the area. As prices continue to increase in every day expenses, it becomes hard for us to keep up and be able to provide for our family or get even the basic necessities that we may need. People are saying that with more money, they will spend more back to the economy, thus helpingRead MorePoverty And Poverty862 Words   |  4 Pagesthey can for their children, it is important to stimulate a childs vocabulary to ensure they can keep up with their more affluent peers, as well as keeping them healthy. Thanks to former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Medicare, and Medicaid Programs, as well as head start for children who were born into lower income families, parents are able to try and give their child their best chance. Early childhood education, health care, and access to a living wage are all important in keeping Americans financiallyRead MoreFiscal and Monetary Policy and Economic Fluctuations901 Words   |  4 Pages The global economy was relatively doing fine more than five years ago before it was hit by economic downturn or recession. During this period, the American economy was at its peak, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2007. However, this was followed by a mild recession at the beginning of 2008, which eventually turned into a severe credit crisis across the world approximately one year later. While only a few countries escaped the economic recession, virtually no country could avoid the severeRead MoreRaising The Federal Minimum Wage799 Words   |  4 Pages In the US, President Barack Obama urges Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. Although some Republicans oppose to this action, overwhelming majority of Americans see that is a good idea (The Guardian, 2014). Regarding to the issue of minimum wage, there have been lots of debates for a long time. Some economists such as Milton Friedman deeply believe that minimum wage kills jobs, but som e like Alan Krueger and David Card think, to some extend, it actually increased